<Alot of drummers angle their hi-hat and slave pedal so that they're turning away from the rest of their kit. It's a silly way to position yourself on your kit & another disadvantage is wearing out the joints either side of the shaft.> I have a demon drive too and I'm not sure if this affects the z link shaft as much but I would avoid it anyway.
<Also make sure when you attach the shaft and tighten the tension rods that you are tightening the rod onto the flat spot it's supposed to go on, not the corner where it meets the rounded part. Don't over tighten the tension rods that allow you to adjust the shaft length either.>
I play with socks but if I wore shoes I'd be mindful of dirt and gravel in them.< And I'm weary of keeping my foot in line with the footboard so as not to put too much pressure on the edge/side. Over time that could wear out the hinges.>